Wednesday, 16 December 2015

Switch-a-Wish is not just an adult version of Freaky Friday,
the classic book and movie about a mother and daughter who switch bodies and
learn lessons about each others lives. This book uses that basic premise but
the author beautifully tells the story of a married couple who have drifted
apart, are on the cusp of divorce, and each resents the other. Chris is a
teacher who feels the pressure to bring home money to his wife and kids who
always seem to need something new. Amanda resents him, often shows it, and is
never interested in having sex. Amanda feels like Chris doesn’t respect her or
understand how hard raising the kids really is and it’s taking its toll on
their relationship. One night they each wish on a star that the other will have
to live how they do and the next morning they wake to find that they’ve
switched bodies. The author alternates viewpoints throughout the book between
Amanda and Chris. Everything is explored from how Amanda finds Chris’s body
achier than her body to how it feels to always be “in the mood”. The book is
both amusing and soul searching at times as the couple’s relationship is
dissected. It maintains a steady and enjoyable pace. This is a thoroughly
entertaining read. I read this on my ereader and it formatted well. The cover
is basic but represents the title perfectly.

Monday, 7 December 2015

The
House Guest is a book that explores many ideas but in such a way that none ever
become the main focal point and all remain equally important. In most books
this wouldn’t work but in The House Guest everything intertwines nicely, never
becoming confusing, monotonous or “preachy”. I enjoyed the setting and time
period which is a rooming house in the 1950s. It’s run by the main character,
Maggie, a widow trying to raise her daughter on her own but luckily has a
strong support group consisting of a unique group of characters who each
contribute greatly to Maggie and Jenna’s lives. There’s Lee, an outspoken and
obnoxious neighbour who represents the prejudice of the era. Anna is the gentle
grandmother type who suffers a tragic loss but exhibits poise and kindness
through it all. Noah is the mysterious man who shows Maggie she can love again.
Many more interesting people make up the cast of characters that all come
together to tell a beautiful story about how people become a family whether
blood related or not. There’s even a bit of a mystery although, much like real
life, it isn’t solved to my satisfaction. I read this on my ereader and it
formatted well. The cover is as relaxing to look at as the book is to read. It’s
like coming home, relaxing and satisfying.

Is
there ever a good reason to commit murder? Is there ever enough justification
to take someone’s life? Those are the main questions you should ask yourself
before reading this book. At first, most people would automatically say, “Of
course there would never be reason enough” but by the end of this book you may
think differently. The author devotes each chapter to a different subject, such
as abortion, execution, child rape, etc. He writes about a case and lets the
reader decide for themselves what they would do under the circumstances. One
such case that stayed with me after reading about it in the book involved a
father who found someone raping his five year old daughter and then beat him to
death. Another chapter involved an executioner in Texas and his views about his
job. I found this whole book to be thought provoking and the author sets out
each chapter in an organized and non-judgemental manner. He leaves it up to the
reader to decide what they believe to be right or wrong. The only suggestion
I’d make would be to make the book longer and maybe have more cases in each
chapter. This is solely out of my own selfishness because I enjoyed the book so
much that I wanted more of it. I read the book on my ereader and it formatted
well. The cover was eye catching as was the title. This was an excellent read!